Presenting... the Tinderbox committee!

We'd like to introduce our hard-working committee so you know who to buttonhole if you have any questions about the conference during the Tinderbox weekend. (You're also welcome to shower them with praise, congrats and thanks for the fabulous time you are having.)

Maureen Crisp

Over the past year, Maureen has fielded hundreds (if not thousands) of emails and filled up many, many folders of notes as she battled with the intricacies of IT requirements, budgets, programme make-up, selection of possible presenters, accommodation, food, transport and a million other details of conference organisation. She has also managed to keep up with her weekly Thursday deadline for posting the latest writing news and helpful tips on her Craicer blog: http://www.maureencrisp.com/

And the rest of the organising committee, in alphabetical order:

Fleur Beale

Fleur is one of the four assessors who have generously offered to help with the ms assessments.

Fifi Colston

Fifi is not only helping to plan Tinderbox, but also has an entry ("Morphology") in this year's World of Wearable Arts show (in the Weta section) - so fingers crossed for her on award night.

She is also organising the Illustrators Day on Monday with Adele. 

Adele Jackson 

Adele has been in charge of design work, so we have her to thank for the logo, the wonderful programme and all other Tinderbox printed and online material.

She is also organising the Illustrators Day on Monday with Fifi, as well as the "Lightning talks" presentations.

Johanna Knox

Johanna is running the Sparks programme, which has already generated plenty of excitement and lots of cooperation - exactly what we hoped for.  

Sabrina Malcolm

Sabrina has spent untold hours extracting data from the conference registration forms and re-formatting it into lists of workshop attendees. She has also been answering emails and looking after the ms assessment programme, fielding queries and matching up writers with assessors. 

Anita Nalder

Anita (with Bridgette) has been tirelessly seeking sponsorship from all sorts of companies, business and local shops - often a thankless task, but together they have had some great successes. 

Pippa Werry

Pippa has been spending her time applying for grants, studying the budget, sending out receipts and paying invoices - if you've got any money-related queries, please ask her.

Bridgette Yates

Bridgette (with Anita) has been on the hunt for sponsorship, asking everyone from power companies to wine merchants, and together they have come up with some great surprises that you'll find in your Tinderbox goodie bags.

All of these people have been fitting their committee work in and around paid work, school visits, travel, moving house, child minding, everyday-life-cooking-cleaning-and-shopping and of course trying to find time to do their own writing and /or illustrating, and we are deeply grateful to them all!